Each of N optical detector parts 801 to 80N has a photodiode PD, a capacitor Cd and a switch SW0. An amplifier A1, an integrator circuit capacitor Cf1, and a switch SW11 , are connected in parallel between the input terminal and the output terminal of an integrator circuit 10. The capacitance of the integrator circuit capacitance C11 is equal to the capacitance of the capacitor Cd in each of the N optical detector parts 801 to 80N. A switch SW01, is equipped between the input terminal of the integrator circuit 10 and the switch SW0 for each of the N optical detector parts 801 to 80N. A switch SW02 is equipped between the output terminal of the integrator circuit 10 and the switch SW0 in each of the N optical detector parts 801, to 80N.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An optical detector device comprising: (A) at least one optical detector part that has an optical detector element that generates charge according to the intensity of incident light and a capacitor with a specific capacitance and that accumulates the charge that is generated in said optical detector element; (B) an integrator circuit connected to said capacitor and having an integrator circuit capacitor with said specific capacitance equipped between the input and output terminals of an amplifier; (C) a first switch equipped between said optical detector part and the input terminal of said integrator circuit; and (D) a second switch equipped between said optical detector part and the output terminal of said integrator circuit.
2. The optical detector device according to claim 1 , wherein the number of said integrated circuit capacitors is one.
3. An optical detector device according to claim 1 , wherein the number of said integrated circuit capacitors is two or more, said integrator circuit capacitors being connected in parallel, and wherein the combined capacitance of these capacitors is equal to said specific capacitance.
4. The optical detector device according to claim 3 , further comprising capacitance switching means that switches the combined capacitance of said integrator circuit capacitors to be less than said specific capacitance.
5. The optical detector device according to claim 1 , further comprising an optical change range detection circuit that detects whether or not the output voltage of said integrator circuit is within a specific range.
6. The optical detector device according to claim 1 , further comprising a CDS circuit that outputs a CDS output of a value that is dependent on the amount of change in the output voltage of said integrator circuit.
7. The optical detector device according to claim 6 , further comprising an optical change range detector circuit that detects whether or not the value of said CDS output is within a specific range.
8. The optical detector device according to claim 1 , wherein, for all of a plurality of said at least one optical detector part, a single set consisting of said integrator circuit, said first switch, and said second switch is provided, and said plurality of said at least one optical detector part are connected sequentially to said integrator circuit.
9. The optical detector device according to claim 1 , wherein, for all of a plurality of said at least one optical detector part, a single set consisting of said integrator circuit, said first switch, said second switch, and said light intensity variance range detector circuit is provided, and said plurality of said at least one optical detector part are connected sequentially to said integrator circuit.
10. The optical detector device according to claim 6 , wherein, for all of a plurality of said at least one optical detector part, a single set consisting of said integrator circuit, said first switch, said second switch, and said CDS circuit is provided, and said plurality of said at least one optical detector part are connected sequentially to said integrator circuit.
11. The optical detector device according to claim 7 , wherein, for all of a plurality of said at least one optical detector part, a single set consisting of said integrator circuit, said first switch, said second switch, said light intensity variance range detector circuit, and said CDS is provided, and said plurality of said at least one optical detector part are connected sequentially to said integrator circuit.
12. The optical detector device according to claim 1 , wherein a junction capacitance of said optical detector element is used as said capacitor of said optical detector part.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
May 17, 2002
March 2, 2004
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